Google is going to start using Gemini to improve the smart reply experience for the Gmail smartphone app.
Originally released in 2017, Smart Reply is a system that allows for quick responses to emails without needing to type anything out. While the feature worked, it was limited to simple variations of yes, no or maybe responses. It was fine for day-to-day use, but can't offer anything more detailed. That appears to be changing, however, as Google has decided to make use of its Gemini AI to offer much better options.
Google went into detail in a recent statement about how Gemini would improve the feature and offered a GIF showing it in action. The Gemini-generated responses will appear at the bottom of a reply and users will be able to hover over them to get a preview of the response. Users can select one of these options, then quickly edit it to purpose. The big difference from the current model is that Gemini will scan through the email and craft the responses to better match the context of the original message.
Based on the above demo, the new responses look much better than what Smart Reply offered in the past. While it should save you more time in the long run, it is always worth double-checking everything before you send it to be safe. After all, we don't want our emails to tell people to eat rocks in the same manner as Google's AI overviews when they first launched.
While it should save you more time in the long run, it is always worth double-checking everything before you send it to be safe.
This isn't the only news about Google adding Gemini-backed features to their apps. For instance, it was recently reported that Google would allow Gemini to narrate our memories in Google Photos, making it all feel much more personal. Added to this is the recent news that we will have more control over who we see in our memories. We have also heard that Google is changing how we see emails, with the app taking a new design that is reminiscent of a WhatsApp conversation, which makes it easier to see responses and message chains.
Google has stated that it expects to see a rapid release for this new feature, with the release starting on September 26. It will be available for all Google Workspace customers with the Gemini Business, Enterprise, Education, Education Premium and Google One AI Premium add-ons.
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